In Appreciation of Amile Jefferson

[Neals384]

I'm just so thankful that we had Amile on the Duke team for the last 5 years! Here are a few gif highlights (arbitrary picks as he had so many special plays).

Freshman
1/26/2013 vs. Maryland (remember them). While Suliamon led the team with 25 and MPII had 19, it was a bit of a break-out game for Amile with 10 pts, 9 boards and 3 blocks as we got a win over the Terps. Here he scores a bucket through contact. Great to see how excited coach K was.

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/ObedientPolishedGoose-size_restricted.gif

Sophomore
1/13/2014 vs. Virginia. Amile recorded his first career double double with 10 points, 15 boards, 2 assists, 2 steal and a block. Here's Amile on defense, breaking up a play with a few seconds left that could have tied the game. First he steals a pass, but the ball gets away. Then he grabs a rebound and gets fouled. Yes, he sank both free throws.

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/MeatySilkyArmedcrab-size_restricted.gif


Junior
4/6/15 vs. Wisconsin. Amile didn't put up big numbers in the championship game, but as always his defense was huge. Here he is with a steal and fast break assist to Grayson Allen.


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To be continued...

[Neals384]

One more from the championship game. Amile completes a nice pick and roll on the assist from Tyus Jones.


https://thumbs.gfycat.com/ContentAmusedFluke-size_restricted.gif

Senior
11/17/15 vs. Kentucky. This was Amile's medical redshirt year but he did play 9 games. He had 16 points (7 for 8 shooting) and 15 boards in a loss to Kentucky. Here's a dunk by Amile on a nice assist from Brandon Ingram.

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/InconsequentialYellowGalapagossealion-size_restricted.gif

Grad Student
12/2016 vs. Florida. Amile recorded his career high 24 points on 11 for 14 shooting, along with 15 boards, 2 assists, 4 blocks and a steal in a win over a sweet 16 team from the SEC. Here's a nifty sequence: a block, a save and the layup at the other end.

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/RightOffensiveGalapagossealion-size_restricted.gif

Enjoy the memories!

[Ballboy1998]

Thank you for this! We were definitely privileged to get to watch Amile leave it all in the floor over 5 seasons.

Great examples above, and regarding the championship game, I would add that Amile's late defense on Kaminski was perhaps the most pivotal shift in a game full of key sequences.

Thank you Amile! Thank you for clearly loving Duke and bringing it every day!

[jv001]

Thank you Amile for choosing Duke University. You gave it all. God bless you young man. GoDuke!

[OldPhiKap]

I have been watching Duke basketball for over 30 years now. He may be my favorite player, ever. Seriously.

Bull City, out.

[moonpie23]

HERE HERE !!! much love to Amile Jefferson.......so glad he came to duke...

[Troublemaker]

Great stuff, Neals -- thanks for doing this!

I'll always remember how he kept coming, even while playing on a bad foot and grabbing his bad shoulder. A warrior indeed.

[MPandolfi]

It was a pleasure to watch him develop and play over the last five years. One of my favorite players to lace them up and always gave 100%.

[TKG]

During a 1978 Final Four television broadcast - I cannot recall if it was the semifinals or finals - Al McGuire was talking about Kenny Dennard and said something like: give me four Kenny Dennards and a star and I will win the national championship every year. That is how I feel about AJ. Dennard was overshadowed by fellow freshman Gene Banks and by upper classmen Jim Spanarkle and Mike Gminksi. But KD played D, hustled and grabbed rebounds. AJ was overshadowed by more highly ranked and highly touted teammates throughout his career. For Amile, the team always came first and whatever was asked/needed he was willing to accept that role/responsibility.

[kako]

Thanks for creating the thread. Yes, Jefferson will be missed. Best of luck to him... possibly a coach someday?

[weezie]

Look up the word "PERSEVERANCE" and it should be illustrated with Amile's picture. The young man worked against incredible physical odds and injury challenges. He's a warrior.

Good luck in whatever you choose to pursue Amile!

[rtnorthrup]

Amile has some of the best footwork for a post player I have seen. He has so many pump fakes, pivots, and reverses all without traveling. If his pro-career does not take off, I would love to see him come back and be one of the next in line Assistant Coaches.

[duke4ever19]

It seems like just yesterday I tuned into watch a live stream of his commitment press conference.

I'm glad he got to experience a national championship and AN ACC tournament title.

[Devilwin]

Good luck, Amile. You were one tough dude. We all appreciate you being a Blue Devil for four+ years! God Bless.

[davekay1971]

Thank you, Amile, for your contributions to Duke basketball and Duke University. You were the consummate team player for you entire time here. Through injuries, through alternating between starter to coming off the bench and back again, through moving from the 4 to the 5 to the 4 to the 5, you gave our team and our program everything you have. To borrow from Coach K's vocabulary, you're a special player.

Best of luck in the next step of your life. The character you have shown at Duke will carry you wherever you want to go. All of us Duke fans are privileged to be able to point to you as an example of what is inspiring about Duke basketball, and college basketball.

[downtowndevil]

AJ is the ultimate example of what it means to commit to something that is bigger than yourself. amazing focus no matter the circumstances - and he had no shortage of circumstances in his time w/ us: positive and negative. he gave everything he had not just to the program but to DUKE - and both the program and our university is all the better for it.

to me the defining moment of his career was during the nat'l championship game - one of the effects of those elevated courts is the bench area seems to take on more a bunker feel, much more movement/interaction amongst themselves than a traditional bench where you would spill over on to the court. watch Amile during that game while he was on the bench - impressive leadership! also i believe i had read that after watching for a bit he noticed a few things and essentially went to Capel and said to the effect, 'put me in - i can handle Frank the Tank'. the rest is history :)

so thrilled for Amile that he got the moments he earned while here. the legacy he leaves our program is extremely important especially in this era of some and done. i strongly suspect that sooner rather than later AJ will be back leading on that bench in a suit and tie continuing to build what he's started here.

see you soon AJ!! forever a captain, a champion, and a scholar.

[Doria]

Thanks, Amile! You've been a great representative of Duke Univ. in your years here. Best of luck for your future.

I saw that he is our first three-year captain? Is that right? It's in this article that my father linked me to this morning: Link (6http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/acc/duke/article140200188.html).